1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for displaying graphic information, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a computer controlled display system for displaying and manipulating overlapping windows of data on a display.
2. Art Background
Over the past decade, a variety of graphic user interfaces have been developed to ease human interaction with computer systems. Many user interfaces utilize metaphors in the design of the interface as a way of maximizing human familiarity, and conveying information between the user and computer. Through the use of familiar metaphors, such as desk tops, notebooks and the like, the interface takes advantage of existing human mental structures to permit a user to draw upon the metaphor analogy to understand the requirements of the particular computer system. It is well known that designing around a familiar metaphor helps reduce human learning time. See for example, Patrick Chan "Learning Considerations in User Interface Design: The Room Model", Report CS-84-16, University of Waterloo Computer Science Department, Ontario, Canada, Jul., 1984, and references cited therein.
In current generation systems, it is common for computer systems to incorporate so-called "object oriented" display systems which utilize multiple "windows" on a display in which combinations of text and graphics are disposed. Using a desk top metaphor, the windows may take the form of a variety of objects, such a file folders, loose leaf binders, or simple rectangles, and the windows may overlap one another with the "top" window constituting the current work file. A user operating within the context of a window-based graphic user interface ("GUI") operates on objects commonly found in an office, and therefore, provides non expert users with a familiar surrounding in which to interact with the computer.
In a typical window-based GUI system, visually distinct display objects are provided on the display screen, and are commonly referred to as "icons". Each of the icons represents a function or object on the desktop. In many systems, a cursor is also displayed which may be selectively moved in response to the movement of a mouse or other pointer control device. The cursor may be moved over display objects which the user may select on the screen. The user may delete information from a window, move data from one window to another, and generally operate on the windows as if an actual file or other physical object is being manipulated. A variety of "pull-down" menus also may be displayed, using a technique for selecting particular command options appearing along a menu bar, and subcommand items corresponding to the command options (See U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,632).
The reader is referred to the following references which describe various aspects, methods and apparatus associated with prior art graphic user interface design: U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,632, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,931,783, 5,072,412, and 5,148,154, and the references cited therein.
Although object oriented display systems have shortened the learning and acclamation period of a new user in understanding and operating computer systems, users still require assistance during the actual operation of the computer system. As a result, a variety of on-screen help systems have been developed using window-based graphic user interfaces. Some systems provide a help key which displays on-screen manuals for the reader to review while operating in the particular application program. Other help based systems, such as the balloon help system which forms a part of System 7.0 of the Apple Macintosh.RTM. graphic user interface, provides context sensitive help information by placing the cursor over various icons, labels, windows and other objects on the screen desktop. (See Macintosh.RTM. user manuals published by Apple Computer, Inc.)
An intuitive help interface design, as in the case of graphic user interfaces generally, relies on a real world metaphor to permit users to apply common knowledge about the metaphor and operate the computer system. However, it is difficult to define what constitutes an "intuitive" design for a user interface, and it is difficult to design an interface that is completely apparent to all end users, no matter which metaphor is used. As a result, it is desirable to provide a help system which is context sensitive and works in conjunction with the graphic user interface metaphor to assist the user.
As will be described, the present invention provides an on-screen help system having attributes which ease the acclamation and learning period of the user. The help system of the present invention provides the full benefits of on-screen screen help, as opposed to the requirement of the user reading a printed manual, and context sensitivity in the application in which the user is working. Window features are provided which distinguish the help window from other windows on the display, and additional features have been added which coach the user through the use of help to accomplish the desired function. Although the present invention is described in terms of an on-screen help system in a window-based graphic user interface, it will be apparent from the description below, that the present invention's features and attributes have application in a variety of graphic user interface designs and software applications. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited by the following description, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art, that the present invention may be applied to computer systems offered by a variety of manufacturers, and to user interface designs which utilize a variety of metaphors.